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Gates urges digital revolution

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has called for a 'digital revolution' to alleviate world hunger by increasing agricultural productivity through satellites and genetically-engineered seed varieties.

'We have to think hard about how to start taking advantage of the digital revolution that is driving innovation including in farming,' the US billionaire philanthropist said in a speech at the UN rural poverty agency IFAD in Rome on Thursday.

'If you care about the poorest, you care about agriculture. We believe that it's possible for small farmers to double and in some cases even triple their yields in the next 20 years while preserving the land,' Gates said.

He gave as one example of innovation the genetic sequencing that allows cassava farmers in Africa to predict how individual seedlings will perform, shortening the time it takes to develop a new variety from 10 years to two.

Another key development is the use of satellite technology developed by defence departments to document data about individual fields, as well as information videos of farmers discussing best practices to help others.

'If we don't do this, we'll have a digital divide in agriculture,' he said.

Gates also defended the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the developing world and large-scale farm land investments by foreign states in the developing world - both highly controversial issues in the aid community.

'You should go out and talk to people growing rice and say do they mind that it was created in a laboratory when their child has enough to eat?' he told reporters at a small media roundtable after his speech.

'The change in the way mankind lives over the last several hundred years is based on adoption of innovative practices and we simply haven't done enough for those in the greatest need to bring these things,' he said.

On the issue of land investments that are referred to by their critics as 'land grabbing', he said: 'It's not actually possible to grab the land. People don't put it on boats and take it back to the Middle East.

'If we could have clear guidelines there could be more land deals and overall it could be very beneficial ... The truth is the person who is most at risk on a land deal is the person who is putting the money in.'

Gates also unveiled $US200 million ($A188 million) in new grants from his foundation to finance research on a new type of drought-resistant maize, a vaccine to help livestock and a project for training farmers.

'Investments in agriculture are the best weapons against hunger and poverty,' he said, adding that his charitable foundation had committed $2.0 billion for farmers and was working on seven crops and one livestock vaccine.

Gates called for a new system of 'public scorecards' for developing countries and UN food agencies that would measure things like agricultural productivity, the ability to feed families and farmer education systems.

'It's something that can be pulled together over the next year,' he said.

'When I meet with an African leader, I'd love to have that report card. I have a report card for health .... Without the scorecards, the donors tend to fund fad-oriented, short-term things,' he told reporters.

The technology pioneer also criticised the work of the UN food agencies in Rome: the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Fund for Agriculture and Development (IFAD).

He said the current food and farming aid system was 'outdated and somewhat inefficient' with a lot of 'duplication'.

For these organisations to go digital will take 'a lot of time', he said.

Asked about the need for wider reforms of capitalism to help the poor, he said: 'How do you get rid of its excesses, including the finance people who are paid these huge salaries, without hurting the beneficial things?'

He added: 'I wish those Wall Street traders would have gone ... and worked on maize and used their mathematical models to look at phenotype versus genotype.

'It's clearly imperfect but it's the best system we have.'

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Gates urges digital revolution

Mick Jagger was not nervous before singing for the President. (The Associated Press)- Yesterday our own Chris Richards talked to Mick Jagger about his Tuesday night performance at the White House. He said he wasn’t nervous at all — “...every gig is a gig, right?” When asked about what current music he’s enjoying, Jagger mentioned the Black Keys’ latest, “El Camino.” When asked if he heard the Stones’ legacy in today’s music he replied: “Yeah! I think there’s some of the Stones’ legacy in that album. Maybe that’s why I like it.” Classic. Read the entire interview.

- The record library of late, legendary DJ John Peel is in the process of being converted into an interactive online museum. Sounds amazing.

- Limp Bizkit signs to Cash Money records? Can’t say we saw that one coming.

- You won’t have to travel to London to see D.C.’s. reunited kings of Gospel Yeh-Yeh, the Make-Up. But you will have to go to New Jersey. The band is playing as part of September’s I’ll Be Your Mirror USA 2012 festival, also featuring Afghan Whigs, the Roots, Hot Snakes, Dirtbombs and Louis C.K. We’re still hoping for that D.C. show Make-Up frontman Ian Svenonius hinted at when we talked to him last week.

- From today’s paper — a profile of Rana Santacruz , a Mexican singer-songwriter who brings to mind the likes of Tom Waits and and Calexico. He performs at Artisphere on Saturday. Plus, live review of Estelle at the Birchmere and Islands at the Black Cat.

Read the rest here:
Mick Jagger talks White House gig; John Peel collection goes digital; Limp Bizkit signs with Cash Money

MICROSOFT founder Bill Gates has called for a "digital revolution" to alleviate world hunger by increasing agricultural productivity through satellites and genetically-engineered seed varieties.

"We have to think hard about how to start taking advantage of the digital revolution that is driving innovation including in farming," the US billionaire philanthropist said in a speech at the UN rural poverty agency IFAD in Rome overnight.

"If you care about the poorest, you care about agriculture. We believe that it's possible for small farmers to double and in some cases even triple their yields in the next 20 years while preserving the land," Mr Gates said.

He gave as one example of innovation the genetic sequencing that allows cassava farmers in Africa to predict how individual seedlings will perform, shortening the time it takes to develop a new variety from 10 years to two.

Another key development is the use of satellite technology developed by defence departments to document data about individual fields, as well as information videos of farmers discussing best practices to help others.

"If we don't do this, we'll have a digital divide in agriculture," he said.

Mr Gates also defended the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the developing world and large-scale farm land investments by foreign states in the developing world - both highly controversial issues in the aid community.

"You should go out and talk to people growing rice and say do they mind that it was created in a laboratory when their child has enough to eat?" he said at a small media roundtable after his speech.

"The change in the way mankind lives over the last several hundred years is based on adoption of innovative practices and we simply haven't done enough for those in the greatest need to bring these things," he said.

On the issue of land investments that are referred to by their critics as "land grabbing", he said: "It's not actually possible to grab the land. People don't put it on boats and take it back to the Middle East."

"If we could have clear guidelines there could be more land deals and overall it could be very beneficial ... The truth is the person who is most at risk on a land deal is the person who is putting the money in."

Mr Gates also unveiled $US200 million ($188 million) in new grants from his foundation to finance research on a new type of drought-resistant maize, a vaccine to help livestock and a project for training farmers.

"Investments in agriculture are the best weapons against hunger and poverty," he said, adding that his charitable foundation had committed $2.0 billion for farmers and was working on seven crops and one livestock vaccine.

Mr Gates called for a new system of "public scorecards" for developing countries and UN food agencies that would measure things like agricultural productivity, the ability to feed families and farmer education systems.

"It's something that can be pulled together over the next year," he said.

"When I meet with an African leader, I'd love to have that report card. I have a report card for health .... Without the scorecards, the donors tend to fund fad-oriented, short-term things," he said.

The technology pioneer also criticised the work of the UN food agencies in Rome: the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Fund for Agriculture and Development (IFAD).

He said the current food and farming aid system was "outdated and somewhat inefficient" with a lot of "duplication".

For these organisations to go digital will take "a lot of time", he said.

Asked about the need for wider reforms of capitalism to help the poor, he said: "How do you get rid of its excesses, including the finance people who are paid these huge salaries, without hurting the beneficial things?"

He said: "I wish those Wall Street traders would have gone ... and worked on maize and used their mathematical models to look at phenotype versus genotype.

"It's clearly imperfect but it's the best system we have."

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Gates urges digital revolution on hunger

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 23, 2012) - Digital Alchemy (DA), a secretive new developer of machine learning based risk management solutions, is pleased to announce that the Company is offering BC Investors up to $5,000,000 in RRSP and TFSA eligible shares triggering an immediate 30% refundable tax credit until February 29, 2012.

CEO J. Bradley Hall commented, "Today 70-80% of all trading is algorithmic or executed by machines. That article you just read in Fortune or the Wall Street Journal may also have been written by a learning machine. This is not hyperbole. Hedge funds put their computers into exchange data centers, just to improve trade execution times by 1/100th of a second. A chimpanzee with a blindfold has a better chance of scoring a million dollar goal from center ice than you do of beating these guys. So how do you protect your assets?"

Mr. Hall added, "We at DA may be able to help. We are raising $5,000,000 in funding to optimize a machine learning risk management platform developed over the last decade by a leading expert on AI and his team of PhD's. The solution has been quietly deployed as an alpha engine and it works. We are extending the functionality, so that large asset mangers, managed accounts and family offices will have their own secret weapon for defending against the pervasive algorithmic trading phenomenon."

In Closing Mr. Hall observed, "DA has a leadership team with proven global experience, a massive underserved marketplace and a disruptive game changing solution that should be generating revenue in just months. Those characteristics should have most investors salivating. If you add in the 30% refundable tax credits for BC investors and the fact that most investors will never have an opportunity to participate in pre-IPO companies like Zynga, Facebook or many of the other emerging Bay area companies, DA may represent a unique and compelling local opportunity to participate in the launch of what should be a successful and highly profitable venture."

The information contained in this press release does not constitute an offer to sell securities, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or recommendation for investment in any securities. The information is not intended as financial advice.

Read the original post:
Digital Alchemy Intelligent Software Ltd.: Insurance for Investors Demanding the Return OF Their Money vs. A Return ON ...

By: Dario Thuburn
Agence France-Presse

10:54 pm | Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

Microsoft Corp. chairman and philanthropist Bill Gates, left, smiles next to IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze during their meeting at the International Fund for Agricultural Development Annual Governing Council at Rome's IFAD headquarters, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012. AP PHOTO/PIER PAOLO CITO

ROME—Microsoft founder Bill Gates on Thursday called for a “digital revolution” to alleviate world hunger by increasing agricultural productivity through satellites and genetically engineered seed varieties.

“We have to think hard about how to start taking advantage of the digital revolution that is driving innovation including in farming,” the US billionaire philanthropist said in a speech at the UN rural poverty agency IFAD in Rome.

“If you care about the poorest, you care about agriculture. We believe that it’s possible for small farmers to double and in some cases even triple their yields in the next 20 years while preserving the land,” Gates said.

He gave as one example of innovation the genetic sequencing that allows cassava farmers in Africa to predict how individual seedlings will perform, shortening the time it takes to develop a new variety from 10 years to two.

Another key development is the use of satellite technology developed by defense departments to document data about individual fields, as well as information videos of farmers discussing best practices to help others.

“If we don’t do this, we’ll have a digital divide in agriculture,” he said.

Gates also defended the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the developing world and large-scale farm land investments by foreign states in the developing world – both highly controversial issues in the aid community.

“You should go out and talk to people growing rice and say do they mind that it was created in a laboratory when their child has enough to eat?” he told reporters at a small media roundtable after his speech.

“The change in the way mankind lives over the last several hundred years is based on adoption of innovative practices and we simply haven’t done enough for those in the greatest need to bring these things,” he said.

On the issue of land investments that are referred to by their critics as “land grabbing,” he said: “It’s not actually possible to grab the land. People don’t put it on boats and take it back to the Middle East.

“If we could have clear guidelines there could be more land deals and overall it could be very beneficial… The truth is the person who is most at risk on a land deal is the person who is putting the money in.”

Gates also unveiled $200 million (150 million euros) in new grants from his foundation to finance research on a new type of drought-resistant maize, a vaccine to help livestock farmers and a project for training farmers.

“Investments in agriculture are the best weapons against hunger and poverty,” he said, adding that his charitable foundation had committed $2.0 billion for farmers and was working on seven crops and one livestock vaccine.

Gates called for a new system of “public scorecards” for developing countries and UN food agencies that would measure things like agricultural productivity, the ability to feed families and farmer education systems.

“It’s something that can be pulled together over the next year,” he said.

“When I meet with an African leader, I’d love to have that report card. I have a report card for health…. Without the scorecards, the donors tend to fund fad-oriented, short-term things,” he told reporters.

The technology pioneer also criticized the work of the UN food agencies in Rome: the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Fund for Agriculture and Development (IFAD).

He said the current food and farming aid system was “outdated and somewhat inefficient” with a lot of “duplication.”

For these organizations to go digital will take “a lot of time,” he said.

Asked about the need for wider reforms of capitalism to help the poor, he said: “How do you get rid of its excesses, including the finance people who are paid these huge salaries, without hurting the beneficial things?”

He added: “I wish those Wall Street traders would have gone… and worked on maize and used their mathematical models to look at phenotype versus genotype. It’s clearly imperfect but it’s the best system we have.”

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Tags: aid , Farm , food , IFAD , Internet , technology , UN , US

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Microsoft founder urges digital revolution against hunger